[UPDATE BELOW] Some of you may have seen the Jezebel mainpage story about Natalie Allman who was savagely attacked by her ex husband in front of their two year sons for over seven hours (TW: violence, despair). After getting only 9 years for the attack (it seems mainly because her ex's lawyer ingeniously argued that it wasn't attempted murder, just attempted disfigurement), this guy still has some paternal rights, namely that his letters to his no-doubt-traumatized sons must be delivered (and she must keep his letters as evidence) and that Nathalie must write him three times a year updating him on how the children are doing. I can't even muster a snide remark about this madness.

In any case, one of the commenters said that their partner is a social worker in the area and is reaching out to see if anything can be done. I urged them to keep Jezebel updated in case this woman needed funds for a lawyer, moving to a safer location, etc. and they just sent this link to a Change.org petition asking the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State to review this court decision that retraumatizes the children and the mother.

Here is a petition it was created a two hours ago and already more than 1,000 people have signed it.

I'd be interested to know from UK Jezzies what sort of coverage this case is getting other than what seems to be the original article in the Daily Mail.

UPDATE:Zizy12 just commented to let people know that this is getting traction and that Allman's case requires what I think we in the US call judicial discretion rather than a change in the law. To me, it makes even more sense to sign the petition and include in your comments anything you can about how this kind of "neutral" application of the law penalizes victims and rewards abusers. ITV has covered the story, but I won't link because the pictures are really terrible.

Advertisement

Just to let you know that this was just on ITV news and BBC news is beginning to pick this up, the…